
Famous Views of the Tokaido: A Mirage at Kuwana
Typical Price
- Uncommon or exceptional Kyosai subject in fine condition: $1,000–$5,000
- Good condition standard woodblock print: $300–$1,500
- Common or lesser subject: $100–$500
Description
A print from the "Scenes of Famous Places along the Tokaido" series depicting a celebrated optical phenomenon at the coastal city of Kuwana in Mie Prefecture — a mirage that transforms the landscape into something dreamlike and uncanny. Mirages over water were recorded phenomena along the Tokaido coast, and Kyosai renders this one with atmospheric imagination: the familiar forms of coastline and sea dissolved into floating, ghostly shapes that seem to belong to another world entirely.
More Prints by Kawanabe Kyosai
from the series One Hundred Pictures by Kyôsai (Kyôsai hyakuzu)
Woodblock print
Old Picture of the Rashômon Gate (Rashômon no ko zu), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô meisho tsuzuki
Woodblock print
Tsukishimadera Temple in Hyôgo (Hyôgo Tsukishimadera), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô meisho no uchi
Woodblock print
from the series One Hundred Pictures by Kyôsai (Kyôsai hyakuzu)
Woodblock print
More Landscapes Prints

Lake Kugushi in Wakasa Province (Wakasa Kugushiko), from the series Souvenirs of Travel I (Tabi miyage dai isshu)"
Wakasa Kugushiko
1920
Color woodblock print; oban
Autumn Maple Leaves at Takao, from the album Eight Views of Kyoto (Kyôto hakkei)
Woodblock print

The Beach at Kaiganji in Sanuki Province (Sanuki Kaiganji no hama), from the series "Collection of Views of Japan II, Kansai Edition (Nihon fukei shu II Kansai hen)"
1934
Color woodblock print; oban

Tea Kettle, section of a sheet from the series "Mirror of Stone Rubbings of Views of the Provinces" (Kohon meihitsu ishizuri kagami)
n.d.
Woodblock print; ishizuri-e, section of harimaze sheet
Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Famous Views of the Tokaido: A Mirage at Kuwana was created by Kawanabe Kyosai (河鍋暁斎).
Famous Views of the Tokaido: A Mirage at Kuwana depicts landscapes and travel scenes.